Counting up from one to 10, a child joyously lists their favorite things about Halloween.
A small child jumps excitedly on a chair to watch Dad at the sewing machine, happily helping to make a “spooktacular” vampire costume. “Making my costume” is No. 1, and the narrator’s light-skinned little sister, dressed as a pumpkin, cheerfully applauds the “terrifically terrifying” look. Riding on a tractor-drawn trailer to go pumpkin picking with both parents is No. 2, while carving the gourd is third. No. 4 is decorating a haunted house, while No. 5 is a “mummy race,” with kids wrapped in toilet paper. No. 6 is getting the house decked out for Halloween. For No. 7, telling spooky stories, the siblings are joined by a friend inside a blanket tent. The counting draws to a close with apple bobbing and dangling doughnuts; a Halloween parade; and, of course, trick-or-treating. And the sadness of day’s end is dispelled by the reassurance of more fun next year. This upbeat tale leans heavily on the sweet rather than the scary side of Halloween, Lively, colorful, slightly simplified illustrations with changing background color washes offer many details for young viewers to spot, including lots of lights and the family’s black cat. The main character and their family are light-skinned; the supporting cast is diverse.
Downplaying fright, this book is a fine introduction to the holiday for smaller participants. (Picture book. 3-7) --Kirkus Reviews
PreS-Gr 1–A good introduction to U.S. Halloween celebrations, this sweet little book has 10 great ways to celebrate the holiday. The unnamed characters with various skin tones and abilities are having a wonderful time as they pick costumes, find the perfect pumpkin, and go trick-or-treating. They “bang drums, blow whistles and dance around with balloons and glow sticks” in the neighborhood parade; and “get into teams, and roll toilet paper around and around to make one kid into a mummy” for a race. Adorable artwork mirrors the simple text perfectly, giving the story a warm, happy feeling about the holiday. The book is clearly meant for the youngest readers, so it does not have anything really scary. VERDICT A good choice for libraries needing books about Halloween for the youngest readers. --School Library Journal
